1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to the field of household cleaning and, in one embodiment of the invention, to infant feeding and care. More specifically, this invention relates to an improved utensil for cleaning articles such as glasses, plates and infant nursing bottles that is more effective, efficient and attractive than articles that are presently available for similar purposes.
2. Description of the Related Technology
The importance of proper hygiene when handling and cleaning eating utensils such as baby bottles cannot be overstated. Ideally, bottles should be thoroughly scrubbed with detergent, then sterilized by immersion in boiling water between uses. Proper scrubbing is especially important after a bottle has been used to dispense fatty liquids, or liquids having suspended solids therein, such as cereal.
Brushes that are equipped with built-in reservoirs for storing detergent are well represented in the literature. Such brushes are constructed so that detergent is squeezed or gravity fed directly into the bristles of the brush when the handle of the brush is compressed. Although convenient in the sense that the need for a separate bottle of detergent is eliminated, these articles present several difficulties in practice. First, it is difficult to accurately dispense the correct amount of soap, because the brush bristles obscure view of the soap. Second, it is almost impossible to rinse the brush free of soap when, for example, it is desired to scrub while rinsing, because soap continues to flow into the brush. Even a single drop of unwanted detergent in a brush is problematic during rinsing, because detergent tends to be quite concentrated.
To scrub most effectively, the cleaning surfaces of the brush should be pressed firmly against the inside wall of a baby bottle. The larger the brush, the more such scrubbing pressure tends to be created when the brush is constrained to within the bottle. Unfortunately, articles such as baby bottles have relatively narrow necks, and the brush must be passed through the neck to fit into the bottle. This effectively limits the size of the brush.
A need exists for an improved cleaning apparatus that can dispense detergent, yet that can also be used to scrub articles when no detergent is desired. A need also exists for a cleaning apparatus that can generate expansive force for scrubbing against the wall of the bottle when it is positioned within the bottle, yet can pass easily through the neck of the bottle for insertion and removal.